This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
In view of increased consumer demand for motor vehicles with improved fuel efficiency as well as improved road handling, a greater emphasis is now placed on designing modern vehicles with improved aerodynamics. In an effort to reduce aerodynamic drag and lift, it is known to equip motor vehicles with a deployable airfoil, commonly referred to as a spoiler, that is moveable between a retracted (i.e. stowed) position and an extended (i.e. deployed) position, typically in response to a vehicular operating characteristic such as, for example, the vehicle road speed. In most systems, the deployable spoiler is driven between its stowed and deployed positions by a powered drive unit.
Many deployable spoiler assemblies have been developed for rear-wheel drive sports cars and are configured to be integrated into the rear decklid. Examples of such powered rear spoiler devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,481,482, 7,686,384 and 8,033,593 and each utilizes a central electric motor to drive a pair of laterally-spaced linkage mechanisms attached to opposite ends of the spoiler panel. However, with increased popularity of cross-over and SUV or hatchback type vehicles, alternative powered spoiler devices have been designed for mounting to a rear portion of the roof and which accommodate pivotal movement of a hatch or liftgate. In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,302 discloses a deployable rear spoiler device configured to move the spoiler panel vertically between stored and deployed positions relative to the roof of an SUV or hatchback type vehicle equipped with a pivotable liftgate. Alternative arrangements for powered rear spoiler devices configured for use with cross-over and SUV type vehicles are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,226,117 and German Publication No. DE102012108048A1.
While such powered rear spoiler devices are generally satisfactory for their intended purpose, an on-going need exists to develop less complicated alternatives that reduce complexity, cost and packaging while providing enhanced operation and modularity.